2. PEASANTS
90% of the population (aprox.)
2 types:
Free peasants (villeins): could
leave the fief; get married; own
land;… very few.
Serfs: couldn’t leave the fief;
needed permission to get
married; their children inherited
their duties. Couldn’t be sold as
slaves.
3. Hard life work from dawn to
dusk:
Work in their fields (holdings):
Basic tools: plough, hoe, sickle, scythe,…
½ of the fields left fallow to enable them to
recover (so the soil wouldn’t be overused).
Work in the lord’s fields (demesne)
Pay taxes to the lord and to the church
(tithe)
Pay to the lord for using his
facilities: mill, oven, press…
4.
5. Large families. Father had the greatest authority.
All the family worked in the field!!!
Children & elderly: easier jobs:
Carrying wood
Taking care of the animals
Men: hardest jobs:
Ploughing (arar)
Harvesting/reaping (recoger la cosecha)
Cutting trees
Women: helped with some jobs
Sowing (sembrar)
Harvesting
Domestic tasks
Taking care of children
Servants at the castle of the lord
Washerwomen
6. NOBLES
Small social group (<10%)
2 types:
High nobility:
Direct vassals of the kings.
Dukes, marquises, counts, barons.
Low nobility:
Vassals of other nobles.
Knights.
7. Noblemen: their education began as children:
6 years old: pages at the castle of another lord/king. Learn rules
of court-life.
14 years old: squires of another knight. Accompany him to
tournaments & battles, carry his shield, take care of his weapons
& horse.
21 years old: become a knight (knighting ceremony or
accolade).
In times of war: had to serve the king/lord with their troops.
In times of peace: attending tournaments, hunting, training for
war,…
The
accolad
e
8. In the accolade (ceremony to
become a knight) the future knight
promised to accomplish the code of
chivalry.
9. Noblewomen:
Married the man chosen by their parents.
Tasks: bring up children, supervise servants, pray,
needlework.
10. Noblewomen:
Married the man chosen by their parents.
Tasks: bring up children, supervise servants, pray,
needlework.
